INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

STRATEGIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Practice Activities
2. Extension Strategies
3. Digital Strategies

Strategies to Promote and Practice Interpersonal

Communication

Conversation Circles: Students prepare questions to ask their peers, using new
vocabulary words. They sit in a circle, and one student starts by asking a question of
another student in the circle. Once that student answers, he or she will ask a question of
someone else and so on.

Information Gap Activities: Student A and Student B each have an incomplete activity
sheet. Student As sheet is missing information that Student B has and vice versa. They
take turns asking each other questions to fill in the missing information on their sheet.

Jigsaws: Students sit in groups of four. Each pair of students in the group has an
aspect of a topic to research or to discuss with a partner. All four students then share
answers in their group and report back to the whole class.

Picture Prompt: Ask each student to bring in one picture that could be a prompt for
discussion or description. Throughout the year, use these pictures to prompt pairs or
groups of students to express their opinion, have a discussion or tell a story (either in
writing or orally).

Ohio Department of Education, June 2014

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Inside/Outside Circles:
o

Prepare question cards ahead of time for each student to ask his or her partner
in the circle on topics or structures that have been read, listened to, or studied.
Another option is for students to prepare the question cards themselves.

Have students form two circles (standing, or in desks), with one circle inside of
the other. Students in the outside circle should be facing their partner in the
inside circle.

Have the inside student state the question on his card to his outside partner.
Once the outside partner has answered, she will then ask the inside partner
the question on her own card.

Use a timer to give each partner a time limit for asking and answering questions,
depending on the length and difficulty level of the question.

After time is up, have the outside circle move one person to the right. The
inside circle doesnt move.

Repeat the question-and-answer process with the new partner.

Continue this process until the outside circle has returned to their original
partners.

Once the class is back together, lead a whole group sharing of information or
answers.

Think -Pair-Share: The teacher poses a problem or presents a topic. Students are
given time to think and may be asked to jot down their thoughts or asked to respond
individually, using tools such as PollEverywhere. They then pair with another student to
discuss the topic or compare responses. Finally, they share their thoughts with the
whole class.

Numbered Heads Together: Students assemble into groups and count off. The teacher
asks a question and tells the groups to put their heads together to discuss it. The
teacher calls a number and selects a group. The student with that number in that group
answers. The teacher then asks the students with the same number from the other
groups whether they agree with the response or asks them to elaborate on the
response. (Laura Terrill)

See It-Say It: This activity helps with vocabulary reinforcement and review. The teacher
prepares paper A with two columns. The first column (titled SAY IT) has a list of
vocabulary words in the target language. The second column (titled SEE IT) has

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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

images or synonyms of those same words. The teacher then makes paper B with two
lists of the same words and images as the first paper, but in a different order.
Students work in pairs, with an A and B paper. Student A says the word at the top of the
SAY IT column. Student B will find the word in the SEE IT column, look across to the
SAY IT column and say that new word. Students continue this pattern until all of the
words are used. (Laura Terrill)

Role-Play/Skit: Students perform spontaneous role-plays and situational skits based on

a theme or real-world situation. Keep a file of student-created situations to use
throughout the year.

Problem-Solving Activities: Have students work together to solve problems:

o

Task and Series: How do you wash a car? How do you solve the problem 76,509
divided by 13?

Charts, Graphs, Maps: Give a destination on a map, and the train or subway
schedule. Students determine the fastest way to get there, the cost, etc.

Specific Occasions: What do you say if/when ?

Advertisements: Create an ad to entice people to buy your product.

Unusual Topics: Use unusual pictures or ideas to stimulate conversation, e.g., What is
strange about (a bird swimming)?

Personalized Questions and Answers (PQAs) (Carol Gaab, Language Magazine.

March 2014): PQs are level-appropriate questions that are personally relevant to
specific learners (or learner groups) and that revolve around a target language word or
structure. The teacher uses PQs to elicit an engaging conversation that will provide the
context and repetition language learners need as they begin the acquisition process.

Special Interest Area: Identify a students Special Interest Area (SIA) by taking a
multiple-intelligence inventory or including activities that incorporate visual/spatial,
linguistic, logical/mathematical, kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, or
artistic learning. This special interest can be used to motivate students and to teach
academic and social skills.

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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Strategies to Extend Interpersonal Communication

Higher-Level Thinking Skills: Ask questions that require students to extend their
thinking beyond merely finding details and facts. For reference, see Bryce Hedstroms
matrix of Blooms Taxonomy and Foreign Language Instruction.

Interaction Skills: Teach students appropriate skills for having a conversation. For
example, when talking with a partner, students should be facing each other rather than
side by side.

Guest Speakers: Invite guest speakers of the target language to the classroom.
Students can prepare a few questions ahead of time, and/or the speaker can be given
a topic ahead of time that the students have chosen.

Clarification and Rephrasing: Teach and practice the skill of clarifying and rephrasing
a request or statement when the other person doesnt understand what you are saying.

Body Language: Demonstrate and practice proper and improper body language while
conversing with a native speaker, e.g., eye contact, distance, hand gesture, firm or soft
handshake, etc.

Silent Mingle (ASL): Arrange for students to be invited by the students of the Ohio
School for the Deaf to social occasions such as Valentines Day, etc.

Reflection Questions: Have students reflect on self-performance or achievement and

set goals. Possible questions include the following: What did I do right? What did I
learn? What do I still need to learn? What is my goal for next week? How can I achieve
my goal?

Portfolio: Have students keep track of their work in a portfolio so they can track their
own growth and successes (e.g., LinguaFolio).

Digital Strategies for Interpersonal Communication

Digital Literacy:
Use discussion forums (e.g., Schoology, Edmodo) for interpersonal writing tasks.

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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Use document-share technologies (e.g., Google Docs/Dropbox) for interpersonal

writing tasks.

Use email, Twitter, wikis, blogs, Weebly or other Web-based authoring tools to
promote interpersonal writing activities.

Online and Blended Environment:

Conduct meetings or classes during synchronous sessions (e.g., Skype, Blackboard

Collaborate, Adobe Connect, Elluminate, GoToMeeting).

Use synchronous sessions for targeted instruction and conversation. Assign roles
during dialogues.

Use asynchronous tools for independent student work (e.g., Edmodo, Schoology,
Camtasia, webinars).

Use discussion forums (e.g., Schoology, Edmodo) for interpersonal writing tasks.

Use document-share technologies (e.g., Google Docs/Dropbox) for student

collaboration and interpersonal writing tasks.

Use email, Twitter, wikis, blogs, Weebly or other Web-based authoring tools to
promote interpersonal writing activities

For Diverse Learners

Peer Tutoring: Ask a high-achieving student to work with a student who has not yet
mastered the skill. Teacher defines learning tasks and assigns roles. Students may take
turns in the roles of tutor/tutee to give both students many opportunities to respond.

Visual Response: Have students prepare answers to questions from the teacher or
their partners in non-written form, e.g., drawings, graphic organizers, or charts.

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